Griffin Gogol (Earth-616)
, , | Relatives = Unnamed parents | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = New York City, New York; formerly Nebraska; Chicago, Illinois | Gender = Male | Height = 5'11" | Weight = 175 lbs | Eyes = Brown | Hair = Brown | UnusualFeatures = | CharRef = | Citizenship = American | MaritalStatus = Single | Occupation = Adventurer, stand-up comedian; former plumber | Education = Vocational training | Origin = Human mutate (Extraterrestial enhancement) | PlaceOfBirth = Pendleton, Ohio | Creators = Roy Thomas; Mike Friedrich; George Pérez | First = Fantastic Four Vol 1 177 | Last = | HistoryText = Origin When an elderly psychologist couldn't afford to pay plumber Griffin Gogol, he offered to cure Gogol's smoking habit via hypnosis. However, as Gogol later learned, the psychologist was an extraterrestrial, and the hypnosis unlocked Gogol's innate superhuman potential. Donning a staggeringly gaudy costume, Gogol became the superhero Captain Ultra; however, he suffered from severe pyrophobia (fear of fire). Captain Ultra's first appearance was as an applicant to the supervillain team called the Frightful Four; he was at first enthusiastically accepted by the other three villains, ecstatic at his large array of powers. However, when one of them began to light a cigarette in celebration, he fainted in the presence of the match; he was promptly rejected. He eventually overcame his pathological fear of fire thanks to years of extensive therapy under Doc Samson. Defenders Dollar Bill created a television documentary about the Defenders, and personally invited super-humans to join the team. Captain Ultra was one of many super-heroes who traveled to Richmond Riding Academy on Long Island, the Defenders' headquarters, to apply for a position. He briefly served with the Defenders for a Day. Captain Ultra and a few of the other new arrivals were greeted by veteran Defender Hellcat. Hellcat started flirting with Captain Ultra, and he tried to impress her. Soon enough, Captain Ultra and Jack of Herarts started competing for the attention of Hellcat. Captain Ultra got territorial and started arguing with Jack. Hellcat realized they were about to fight and tried to calm them down. Ultra accused her of "playing the field" and toying with them. He shoved her angrily aside, an action which Jack found insulting. They started arguing again and exchanging insults. Their argument was about to get into a fist fight, but they had failed to notice four other Defenders on horseback who were approaching them. Ultra and Jack were nearly trampled by the horses. Captain Ultra witnessed Hercules' attempt to take charge of the team, and listened to his speech. He thought that the man was a "windbag". When the Defenders split into three groups in order to investigate a crime spree in New York City, Captain Ultra was chosen to serve in the group that was led by Hercules. While the rest of the group used the Hellcatmobile, there was no space in the car for Ultra. He simply flew behind the car. Hercules' group came into conflict with a team of villainous Defenders, which was serving under Sagittarius. The local police arrived and attempted to arrest both groups. When the villainous Defenders escaped the police, the heroes chased them on foot. Captain Ultra was the only member of the group who could fly, rather than run. The second battle between the two groups took place in Grand Central Station. Captain Ulta fought against Whirlwind, who taunted Ulta about his "eyesore" of a costume. When the villains took over a subway train and escaped, Captain Ultra was able to use his "scanner vision" to track down the train from the surface. He could see through the pavement. Ultra flew ahead and gave directions to the other members of the group, but the other Defenders where much slower than him. During the third battle between the two groups, the Blob was able to hold Hellcat in a strangle hold. Her fellow Defenders were too preoccupied with their own fights to take notice and help her. Hellcat's air supply was running out and she realized that she was dying. Her still developing psychic powers lashed out blindly, and blasted every hero and villain in her vicinity. Captain Ultra was knocked out, as were all the other heroes and villains present (except Hellcat herself). Hercules' group of Defenders soon disbanded, with the members going their own way. Captain Ultra presumably left with the others. Soon after, he moved to Chicago. He has since had a minor career as a solo superhero, often teaming up with heroes like Thor to battle minor villains. Initiative After the Civil War, he was listed as a potential recruit for the Initiative, and became the leader for the Nebraska team of the Initiative program, part of a government controlled superhero program. After Paragon, one of his team, killed fellow teammate Gadget, Griffin briefly fought Iron Man to protect the rest of his group. He was seen investigating the circumstances of Paragon and Gadget's tragic deaths with Doc Samson and Iron Man. During the course of their investigation, it was revealed that there were two new Initiative recruits in the process of being fast-tracked to the Nebraska team, although Captain Ultra expressed irritation at the prospect of having to "babysit the punks." Later, he joined Wonder Man's Revengers and successfully attacked the Avengers Mansion. He was defeated by the combined forces of the Avengers and New Avengers, and while being interrogated, explained his participation by jealousy and bitterness for being ignored when he asked to join the Avengers. Someone that looks like Captain Ultra was seen as an inmate of Pleasant Hill. Captain Ultra was afterward shown incarcerated in the Cellar. During a riot, he attempted to convince his former Revengers teammate Tom Foster to help him and a few other escape, but Tom instead subdued him and the rest of the inmates when Ultra and his companions tried to brutalize or kill a guard named Moore. | Powers = * Superhuman Strength: Captain Ultra's strength enables him to lift far in excess of 25 tons. * Superhuman Stamina: Captain Ultra could sustain prolonged physical exertion without tiring or undo strain for an indeterminate period of time. * Superhuman Speed: Captain Ultra could run at a velocity many times greater than that of a normal human being. * Enhanced agility: Captain Ultra has the dexterity comparable to a world class athlete. * Super-Breath: Captain Ultra possessed the ability to create hurricane force winds by blowing, and to chill his breath in order to freeze a target. * Invulnerability: Captain Ultra is virtually invulnerable to conventional attacks. * Flight: Captain Ultra could fly, up to extreme speeds. * Penetrating Vision: Captain Ultra's penetra-vision makes him able to see through solid matter As part of his same Penetrating Vision power, Captain Ultra can use; ** Telescopic Vision:, in combination with penetra-vision if desired. ** Microscopic Vision: and is able to analyze fingerprints. * Intangibility: Captain Ultra is able to phase through solid matter. * Psychic Resistance: Captain Ultra is resistant to mind control and other psychic attacks. * Ultra-voice: Captain Ultra is able to shatter solid objects with an incredibly loud and destructive sonic scream. | Abilities = Adept at creating balloon animals. | Strength = He is able to press up to 25 tons. | Weaknesses = * Pyrophobia (formerly): Captain Ultra would faint when seeing a flame, even in a lighter. With therapy, he overcame this phobia. | Equipment = | Transportation = | Weapons = | Notes = | Trivia = *Captain Ultra is a pastiche of the Martian Manhunter due to their shared pyrophobia. What Captain Ultra does not have is the Manhunter's ability to shapeshift. | Links = * All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe 2 }} Category:Superhuman Agility Category:Flight Category:X-Ray Vision Category:Superhuman Stamina Category:Intangibility Category:Acoustikinesis Category:Telepathic Immunity Category:Pyrophobia Category:Superhuman Reflexes Category:Wind Breath Category:DC Comics Pastiches Category:Athletic Skills Category:Invulnerability Category:Superhuman Senses